26 Comments

Hi Anne. The Dollar Tree charges $1.25 for everything that used to be a dollar. And now the pizza price has gone up. Is it a trend? What can we buy for a dollar now?

Love the newsletter,

Jennifer

Expand full comment

Jennifer, it's funny—one of the ideas I've had on my story list for a while now was looking into the whole $1.25 at Dollar Tree phenomenon. But the idea of what we can still buy for a dollar (in NYC?) is so much more fun. I'm for sure doing a feature on this. Maybe the next issue. Thank you!

Expand full comment

Your article has renewed my confidence in the power of a dollar. Thank you for that.

Expand full comment

Yay! It was super fun to write, Jennifer :)

Expand full comment

Your posts are hilarious. I read Google Reviews sometimes and the absurdity of people raving about Domino's Pizza or something like that. Your brothers expression is choice as if contemplating whether he can taste the hint of maltodextrin. I've got a son who works in a biz involving commodities like corn. I'm guessing the average American eats 3-5 ears of corn in a year yet they grow 3500 bushels for every man/woman/child. I guess that is what maltodextrin is :) oops pounds not bushels, still depressing

Expand full comment

Thanks Mark, and it's so funny—Trayvon, the kid who sampled the cinnamon bread with marinara told me Dominos is by far his favorite pizza, with Papa John's a close second. I think its a matter of what you're familiar and grew up with. Soon, everything we buy will be made out of corn including pets and furniture.

Expand full comment

Your Newsletter is fantastic. Glad I found it. One of the throwaway lines in a book I read when I changed my diet for health reasons was that 40% of the SKUs in a large grocery store (including the produce) have either corn or soybeans in them. Ridiculous

Expand full comment

This article brought me sheer delight!

In particular, the situation with the marinara sauce and cinnamon bread. "Necessity is the mother of invention" comes to mind. It inspired a haiku..

Hmmmmmmmm Cinnamon Bread...

The Icing Is Wasted.... AH!!

The Marinara!

In addition, the picture of your brother and his wife and the salty hot beverage is perfect--their facial expressions perfectly convey a surprisingly salty Cafe Con Leche.

Lastly, I'm impressed what gets people to give McDonalds a 5 Stars. I wonder if I opened a restaurant and simply was liberal with sauce distribution if that could get me 5 stars?

Expand full comment

KKyle, your haiku made me laugh and laugh. IDEA: a store or restaurant offering nothing but sauce packets. NO WAY THIS IS NOT A WINNER.

Expand full comment

Are we thinking totally free sauce packets or at a price?

Expand full comment

There are sections offering packets for 10 cents each, 25 cents each, up to a dollar each. You can also buy $5 MYSTERY PACKET GRAB BAG.

Expand full comment

They would be a true sauce of happiness! I would get the mystery grab bag every time

Expand full comment

I've heard about the all-potato diet before, but never tried it. I'd have to have more than hot sauce on my spuds, though!

Expand full comment

I am so tempted to try. I love keeping things super simple. It's the total opposite of my keto diet though.

Expand full comment

So so funny! Glad we revisited the Fr. Mike's potato diet. Looking forward to further Cafe Bustelo reviews, will be an emotional roller coaster.

Expand full comment

Emotional roller coaster, haha!

Expand full comment

Hilarious issue!

Expand full comment

Muchas gracias!

Expand full comment

You can never go wrong with a food issue. Krazy or otherwise. Your brother - killing it with a philosophy I totally endorse: I would never buy it. It's reprehensible. But if you got it, I'll take it. 🤣🤣 That sponsorship is in the bag!

Expand full comment

Fingers crossed! Thanks Debra!

Expand full comment

Is it me, or has Father Mike seen the Martian a few too many times? Maybe the next time you talk to him, he'll look like Matt Damon.

Expand full comment

Is the Martian about potatoes?

Expand full comment

Sort of. Matt Damon survives more than a year on Mars eating nothing but potatoes that he grows himself. Kind of the ultimate potato diet.

Expand full comment

A couple of corrections (what can I say, big Penn fan). His last name is spelled Jillette. The potato diet mentioned in his book "Presto" was done for 2 weeks at the start of Penn's new eating plan as a sort of "reset" to the taste buds. From that point onward, he did Eat To Live (Dr Fuhrman), and I imagine he had potatoes now and then as part of that, but not exclusively. He has since moved on to Dr Greger's "How Not To Diet". At least, that's up to date for the end of 2020 where I'm at for his podcast. :D

Expand full comment

Thank you Whipsaw—I'll make those corrections.

Expand full comment

Thank you for putting out such a cool newsletter, Anne. I know that's not a small effort.

I'm from western Canada and it's really cool to just read about what everyday people in New York and area are doing.

Expand full comment